Ride the transcontinental railroad as marriage arrives by mail-order—and just in time for Christmas. Annika arrives in Wyoming to discover her intended is missing. Jolie’s journey to Nevada is derailed by disaster. Elizabeth carries a load of secrets to Nebraska. And Amelia travels to California to wrap up her final attempts at matchmaking. Will the holiday season be the ticket to spark love in unexpected ways? When marriage arrives by mail-order?and just in time for Christmas?the results are unpredictable. Annika’s fiancé is missing, Joliee is forced to marry another groom, Elizabeth takes along a trunk of secrets, and Amelia faces a disappointed prospective husband. Can true love grow after an awkward start? The Prodigal Groom, Vickie McDonough's novella in Christmas Mail-Order Brides, was a finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers' prestigious Carol Awards. Vickie says: This was a story that I had wanted to write for a long time, and I'm glad I finally got the chance to see it published. Susan Page Davis's novella, Mrs. Mayberry Meets Her Match, is the final story in the collection. It tells the tale of the matchmaker and how she closed out her last assignment. Susan says: These stories were great fun to write and show the characters' journeys in love and faith, as God brings romance into their lives. Vickie McDonough is the award-winning author of more than 24 books. She is a ten-time Carol Award finalist and winner of the ACFW's Noble Theme contest (Now called the Genesis Constest), the Inspirational Readers' Choice Award, and the Texas Gold contest. Vickie grew up watching westerns with her dad and now enjoys creating stories set in the Old West. Susan Page Davis is the author of more than forty published novels. She's a Carol Award Winner and a two-time winner of the Inspirational Readers' Choice Award. In 2011, Susan was named Favorite Author of the Year in the 18th Annual Heartsong Awards. A native of Maine, she and her husband, Jim, now live in western Kentucky.This book was named one of the five best Collections of the Year in Family Fiction Magazine's 2011 Readers Choice Awards